“Elton John” collage made entirely of cigar bands by artist Alexander Gashunin. Collage

I am a visual artist currently based in Chicago. Born in Moscow, Russia, I graduated from the Art University of Moscow with a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture. My career as a sculptor spans over twenty years and incorporates professional commissions as well as personal works. I have recently expanded my artistic practice to include works on paper, most notably cigar band collages. My work has been widely exhibited in galleries throughout the Chicago area. My cigar band collages represent an unexpected blend of traditional techniques and unconventional materials. As a classically trained visual artist, I incorporate color theories and perspective principles while adding a modern approach through my subject matter and use of cigar bands. The individuals, objects, and vistas I choose to portray represent iconic American imagery and historical archetypes that have long provided fodder for artistic interpretation. My process of reimagining these subjects through cigar band collage allows me to reflect with whimsy upon images that inform the fabrication of popular culture.